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Wednesday, 2 December 2015

Thank you! and a variety of updates

I only posted yesterday but have been so touched (and slightly overwhelmed) by all the lovely comments on my Auntie Green/wedding post. I prefer to reply individually but just this once I hope you don't mind a collective: Thanks so much to all my kind blogging friends.

It is a well known fact that everyone loves a wedding ...but I guess a wedding combined with a quilt - got to be a winner?! It was such a wonderful event but not quite over yet. There are dozens of white tablecloths to be laundered - eek. To take a welcome break from that I thought I'd give you an update on other quilting.

Variety is the spice of life. That is how I approach quilting, and I have seen that many of you are just the same! So .. I could not resist a new project. Can you guess what it is ?

Yes it is Audrey's Quilty 365 sewalong! I'm calling my version Indigo Circles. She has a link up today - so many variations are possible to reflect each stitcher's creativity, style and mood. Thanks for a wonderful idea Audrey - it has inspired me to grab pieces from my indigo and black stash and start some circles. I love fussy cutting, repro fabrics and applique. So each circle will be a fussy cut feature from dark or light fabric and the size of the circle dictated by the size of the feature. I am thinking the squares will be a mixture of 4 inch or 2 inch. So far I have 14 completed - two weeks down for me - and just having a play with setting possibilities, could be set on point like this ...

...or maybe square like this ...

..or maybe something quite different? Meanwhile I am storing them in a tin - an idea I borrowed from Wendy

Next update is my Harrison Rose quilt ( Dawn's pattern). I decided to stop at 9 blocks - each 17 inches. Here they are stitched together - and will be followed by a narrow HST border and then a wide quilted border - so am thinking this will be big enough for me.

I have put off starting the HST border because I am not keen on piecing. I know that foundation paper piecing on the machine would be the quickest method for me but I never seem to be in the mood to sit at the machine. So I bit the bullet and started making it with EPP. Might seem a slower way to go ...but at least it will get done! By my calculations this should work with 2 inch triangle papers (home made from light card stock).

Another update - hand quilting my Civil War Bride. Some days it is just too hot to think about this one but there has been some relaxing progress on the outer border (am starting on the outer edges as this seems to work for me) - just meandering along outlining the applique for now.

Lastly - more applique on my Wheat and Woods. I was up to the last border - thinking up a design idea that might suit. I wanted another wide wavy wheaty edge on the inside of the border...

I have long admired this antique Dutch quilt - pictured in the book "Promenade in a Dutch Garden" by Petra Prins and An Moonen.

It was this quilt that inspired them to make the little red quilt pattern "When Stars Meet Hexagons" that is in the book , and I made my own little EPP version too. But just look at the outer border of the antique quilt! It is all hand appliqued broderie perse (appliqued to perfection) and has long fascinated me. So - in a much more modest way - I wanted to give it a try. I selected fabrics with light backgrounds close to my background fabric colour. That way I would not need to cut away around the motifs/flowers too closely - making it quite quick to applique.

When I got this far I thought ..."no, not sure this is working, looking too patchy...yuk" and nearly scrapped it. Then I went back to it next day thinking it "might be ok" if there was more of it... and set about finishing one border. Am now thinking it is not too bad viewed from a distance! The individual patches might blend even more once it is eventually quilted over.

Can you visualise it as a border around this ?

In concluding my updates you could add to those projects - Benjamin Biggs and Shenandoah Valley monthly blocks. Yep...plenty to be getting on with!

But that suits a lot of us perfectly doesn't it? In fact we absolutely panic if there is not always some slow stitching on hand. So nice to know I am not alone in this :)

So exciting to see your fussy cut circles! This is going to be a wonderful version of the circles.:) Love seeing your border on Wheat and Woods. I can see what you mean about needing to add more of the Broderie Perse, but wowsers, it's going to be incredible after you work your charm on it!

Hi Hilda, your Auntie Green (from previous post) is truly divine, what a beautiful heirloom for your daughter and newly aquired son. Your daughter was a stunning bride and you were a very glam Mother of the Bride! Loving your Indigo Circles, I'm very tempted! All your quilts are so special . I really love the Wheat and Woods quilt, it will be wonderful with your magic touch of quilting added once the borders are done. Can't wait to see what's next!! Always really enjoy your posts, seeing what beautiful pireces you are creating.

Wow - there is a lot of wonderful sewing going on at your house!Love your Indigo circles they will make for such a lovely quilt! It will be fun to see how you choose to lay them all out in the end.Harrison Rose looks fabulous, I like the 9 patch layout for this.Wheat & Woods is stunning and I think your broderie perse border will be a wonderful finish to it.

My word! Do you ever sleep? First I must say I am so pleased that you have joined in the Quilty 365 circle-a-thon. I love the indigo and white and your tin is as adorable too. The Harrison Rose is so beautiful. Those are definitely my colors. As for the Wheat and Woods, I absolutely adore your next border. Very clever and oh so beautiful It reminds me of the "tile" (although I prefer to call it "stonewall") method of applique. I love playing with this method and you have once again inspired me to try something new by using chintzes. I need to stop reading your blog, because I do need to sleep sometimes! Thanks for another inspiring post Hilda!

Your work is incredible The border for Wheat and Woods is going to be perfect if think, actually I know, that yours is my favorite blog Some of your pieces are about as far from my palette as you can get yet I find them beautiful and a joy to look at.

Wheat and Woods will be another Masterpiece for sure. That border is so lovely and once attached to the quilt, it will just sing perfection! (The border in the book just floored me!!) Lovely, lovely progress Hilda !

I love your idea for the circle a day--it's going to be another wonderful project! I can't believe that border is applique--yikes-- I was sure it was a print! Your border will be great and I don't think you are in danger of running out of hand sewing any time soon!

Have just discovered your blog recently while researching Broderie Perse. I cannot tell you how inspired I am. Your Wheat and Woods is beyond beautiful, the border stunning. Thank you so much for your inspiring photos, they motivate me to keep stitching.

Well, sometimes trying to just leave a comment is a hair pulling experience! (LOL)OK so here we go again. Love the circles, Love your Civil War Bride, Love the other one and the Broderie Purse! Great work! Just need to get life out of the way so I can start quilting early in the AM and work all day! Maybe I could catchup with you! Great work

Lots of projects is delightful :0) you have such beautiful projects!! I love that you are quilting your way around your Bride quilt - there is so much beautiful applique to enjoy stitching around. (Last night I finished my 3rd border so I am getting there with mine). The Broderie perse looks wonderful when the whole border is filled with it. What a great idea with the circle challenge - you have many marvellous little features in it already. Your Harrison Rose blocks are fabulous - all those sharp crisp points! I love the sounds of a wide quilted border - what a gorgeous quilt it will be!

Hi HildaYour work is amazing and really gorgeous. I have been scrolling through your blog, and wondered if you could tell me where you got the pattern for the blocks for your Christmas Red & Green quilt - finished 2014.Thank you.

Not too bad? Are you kidding? Your border looks fabulous. I'm really enjoying your creativity. I am so tempted to join Audrey's circles too.....I thought I had escaped but I keep seeing the different interpretations, and your indigoes are gorgeous. Something for me to ponder over the Christmas break.

Love your Indigo circles & so happy to have discovered your blog, such amazingly beautiful applique! I can see myself spending quite some time here admiring all your wonderful work when I should be sewing! lol :)

I've just discovered your blog....first, this morning on pinterest, and now seeing you are doing Quilty365 also! I will be following your blog since we seem to have so much in common! I have to admit, though, a couple of years ago I started a Civil War Bride and totally fell out of love with it, so I've left it. Seeing yours in reds is fantastic, though! Are you a fan of Kim McLean's applique quilts?

So enjoyed catching up on your blog! Congratulations to the newlyweds. What a wonderful quilt you gifted them. Quite the treasure.I'm amazed at all the beautiful projects you have going. LOVE the indigo circles! I'm amazed that you get so much done while doing all of it by hand. Makes total sense to EPP your HST as this is how you work best. Reminds me of Jinny Beyer. She says the only time she uses her sewing machine is for mending. You are inspiring me to do some hand work today.I think the border you are appliqueing for Wheat and Woods is perfect. I would never have guessed that border in the antique quilt was applique if you hadn't said it was. Wow!

Do you know that I keep coming back to this post just to stare at the wonderful fabrics you use for your circles. They are so awesomely beautiful and I have completely fallen in love with them. Are they from your stash or are they from a fabric line? Any information would be very much appreciated! I think I just have to buy some alike:-)